Jennifer C!!!!

Congratulations to Jennifer who commented on last week’s painting par-tay, saying, “I’ve got a few pieces of furniture I’ve found that I want to paint”…

Well, girl, your painting destiny is about to be fulfilled with 3 jars of MyColor inspired by Pantone paint in whatever colors you choose!

Now go get your PAINT on…and please feel free to send pics of your project, would love to see the transformations!!!

Congratulations!

Woo-hoo! It’s 12p EST and y’all know what THAT means? It’s par-tay paint time!

Welcome to the MyColor inspired by Pantone painting party! Let’s GET this! To review: there are a group of awesome diy blogger dynamos, including yours truly, who have all done up some projects using My Color inspired by Pantone paint. Expect to be inspired (duh), mesmerized…titillated even…by paint! Uh huh! Y’all could even win stuff! OH! And maybe, just maybe, today’s the day y’all are gonna finally have your decorating destinies fulfilled, not only here on Blog-A-Dazzle…oh, no, y’all…you’re embarking on a full-on painting treasure hunt, today! YES!

See, after you experience what I’ve got to share, you’ll click on over to Cassie, at Primitive and Proper blog, who will beguile y’all with her paint magic! Here’s the complete list in order:

Courtney @ A Thoughtful Place *Go Back to the Beginning!*
PJ @ Blog-A-Dazzle *You Are Here!*
Cassie @ Primitive and Proper *Continue to this Blog Next!*
Holly @ Life in the Fun Lane
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
Heather @ Paper Princess Studio

But first, I’m gettin’ all kinds of diy dirty up in here with My Color inspired by Pantone Paint, ’cause that’s just how I roller-on my parties (pun intended!) Oh shiot!: (more…)

Y’all, I’m thrilled to share that I was asked to participate in a painting party for MyColor inspired by Pantone paint!!! Holla! What in hell does THAT mean, y’all ask??? Well, along with four other awesome diy bloggers, who will be blogging at the same time with cool projects of their own, I’ll be completing a special diy project using MyColor inspired by Pantone paint.

In addition to learning all the 411 on my project, y’all will be able to scoot over to the next diy blogger’s post in a pre-determined order and get more ideas and inspiration from their projects. The BEST part? Y’all can comment on my post for a chance to win a sample of MyColor inspired by Pantone paint!!! What-What?! FREE PAINT, y’all!!! Get IT! VALUE! Here are the other diy dynamos and the order of the party (they’ll be links and more detailed instructions in tomorrow’s post, this is a friendly heads-up):

Courtney @ A Thoughtful Place
PJ @ Blog-A-Dazzle
Cassie @ Primitive and Proper
Holly @ Life in the Fun Lane
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
Heather @ Paper Princess Studio

Remember, the par-tay starts at 12p EST sharp. So, this means, regardless of where you live, y’all need to do some math and figure out what time 12p EST is for you and then hit up Blog-A-Dazzle to fulfill your painting destinies, ok?!!

I love Fall, always have. And it’s one of the BEST times to be in NYC. It’s also a great time to think about our decor and how to reflect the change in seasons inside. Here’s an inspiring article on how to get really creative with gourds. Enjoy, y’all…

Finger lickin' gourd...I mean..good!

IT’S DECORATIVE GOURD SEASON, MOTHERF&$KERS.

BY COLIN NISSAN
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For some HOT Before and After action up in this ‘dazzle, what…THRIFT WHORE THURSDAY!?!
This thrift store armoire was scored for a client while out whoring weeks ago:

$69.99 thrift Luscious-ness!

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A lot of times when I tell people about my work as a prop stylist, they go all ‘deer in headlights’ and usually say something like, ‘what’s that?’, ‘huh?’, ‘you do hair?’

Here’s what a prop stylist does:

What in hell is that, y’all ask? It’s a chianti bottle and it’s having candle wax dripped on it for a photograph that will eventually make it’s way on a page in a major magazine…they’ll be some clever service point to you telling y’all how to take your chianti bottle & reuse it as a candleholder when y’all set that effortless dinner table for your festive holiday party!

Oh, wait…y’all didn’t think that those gorgeous shots of rooms/homes/people/parties just happened to be that way, naturally and a photographer just snapped a pic of it? Not always, but you’re seeing smoke & mirrors, my friends…or in my case, from my shoot yesterday…bottles and candlewax…

This lovely moment was actually executed by the uber-talented, Andrea Greco, aka Candy, who’s a crafting fiend!

So next time y’all are thumbing through the pages of your favorite magazine, wondering if people really live/eat/entertain like that, all the time? The answer might just be no…a prop stylist made it look that way!!!

Y’all, I’ve had this amazing vintage shopping cart for almost a year:

Such an amazing score!

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It’s no secret that I’m slightly obsessed with vintage yarn art and embroidery…so, imagine my joy upon discovering these beauties while thrifting on vacation in Birmingham:

This absolute score is actually three different vintage unopened embroidery kits that include the printed design on cotton mesh, wool yarn AND needles– for $2.99 each! Ahhh, Salvation Army Family Store still knows how to slay us with some value, y’all…

There’s “Mountain Springtime” (this gal would’ve cost $24.00 from JC Penney, according to the original price sticker still attached)

“Apple Time” (Her sticker says she was $15.99 at The Craft Showcase, but poor thing was reduced to $10.39 and still no one bought her! Damn!)

And of course, the serendipitous:
“Lazy Days” (Oh shiot, The Craft Showcase was also selling her for just $14.99, but no one got off their lazy ass to buy back then– I sure as hell did!)

I’m not certain how these gloriously heinous kits will become my latest works of art…wall hangings?…pillows? but trust, y’all, that something scrumptious will be served and stitched right into my collection!!!

Y’all, believe it or not, Thanksgiving is just around the corner…and it’s not too soon to begin your planning to avoid last-minute manic panic…might I recommend this amazing article in the November 2011 issue of Essence magazine? Yes, considering I styled AND am giving style tips in it, I just might! Get yourselves a copy & get ready for yummy, y’all:

Y’all, I love using unexpected materials for projects…the other day while prepping for a shoot I was style-slapped when I came across these giant spools of baker’s twine at NY Cake!

As the Twine Turns...

Baker’s twine has such a cool, graphic quality about it. Love it paired with plain craft paper as ribbon for gift wrapping, like these two from Whisker Graphics that feature Air Mail twine, oh!

Just add twine & tie!

Twine tassel topper!

Or try using twine to tie ornaments on the tree. Thread some through small vintage ornaments and tie around the top of your glass jars from the recycling bin and you’ve got double the style value with some easy holiday vases! (forgive my holiday-centric ideas, but have already worked on three different holiday stories recently, so they’re fresh in my head) And take yourselves there by using colors other than the traditional red & white: charcoal grey (super chic!!!), orange, yellow, even turquoise—what?! These fun colors can work for any holidays or other festive occasions throughout the year.

Colorful style to tie on, y'all!

The larger spools at NY Cake are just $17.99 for what appears to be like a million yards of twine & the smaller spools, $15.99. NY Cake also has a west coast location in L.A. (10665 W Pico Blvd), but y’all can also get your twine online from The Twinery (check out their fun blog too!) and Whisker Graphics Now go tie some on, y’all!